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Uganda 2024

Uganda

Uganda

An early dismissal from school is a happy event for students everywhere, including these Kisoro District schoolchildren. Students are the future of Uganda, which has one of the youngest age structure in the world: 77% of the population is under 30, with a median age of 16—reflecting the scourge of AIDS in Uganda. But progress is being made in disease identification and treatment, and Uganda’s future depends on this effort—and on its ability to educate its youth and grow its economy.

Ron Geason © 2017
PCV Uganda 2015–2017
Business & Agriculture


Republic of Uganda

East-Central Africa

Area 93K mi2; 241K km2

Arable 34%

Population 47.7 (513/mi²; 198/km²)

Gov’t Presidential republic

Capital Kampala (3.8M)

GCP/Capita $2,200

Unemployment 3%

In Poverty 21%

Infant Mortality 29/1K live births (53rd)

Life expectancy 69 yrs

Median Age 16 yrs

Literacy 77%

Languages English and Swahili (official), Luganda, other Niger-Congo and Nilo-Saharan languages, Arabic

Religions Protestant 45% (mostly Anglican), Roman Catholic 39%, Muslim 14%, other/none 2%

Health 4% of GDP

Education 3% of GDP (171st)

Military 3% of GDP (43rd)

Labor Force Agriculture 71%, industry 7%, services 22%

PCVs 1964–1972, 1991–1999, 2001–present CURRENT: Yes, TTD: 1,883

Adult Books

Tropical Fish: Tales from Entebbe
By Doreen Baingana

Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Harlem Moon (2006; 1st edition: Univ. of Massachusetts Press, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0767925106
ISBN-13: 978-0767925105

Summary:
"In her fiction debut, […] a powerful novel told through stories, Doreen Baingana follows a Ugandan girl as she navigates the uncertain terrain of adolescence to become a worldly but conflicted woman. Set mostly in pastoral Entebbe […], Tropical Fish depicts the reality of [a family’s] life […] after Idi Amin's dictatorship." (Publisher’s note)

“Baingana’s richly detailed stories are lush with cultural commentary.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Marks the debut of an unflinching, graceful new voice.” (David Anthony Durham, novelist)

“[Baingana’s] prose is rich in specifics unknown to most of us, but what is truly dazzling is the way this brilliance of detail mounts into rare, subtle, surprising drama.” (Joan Silber, novelist)

“Doreen Baingana shows mastery of language, a painter’s eye for detail, and a compassion so deep, I imagine her heart has no bottom.” (Reginald McKnight, novelist)

Winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book in the Africa region
Finalist for the Caine Prize in African Writing

Kids' Books

Sing to the Moon
By Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl, illus Sondra van Doorn

Format: HC, 40 pages
ISBN-10: 1911373390
ISBN-13: 978-1911373391
Age Range: 5–9 yrs / Grades K–2
Publisher: London: Lantana Publishing, 2018

Summary:
A little Ugandan boy dreams of reaching the stars and then going Mars. On a rainy day at his grandfather's house, he is brought down to earth with a bump. Can he find magic a little closer to home?

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Review:
"A young boy and his jjajja share memories and wishes in this tender tale set in Uganda. Have you ever wished to 'ride a supernova straight to Mars' or travel to the spice markets of Zanzibar or ride a crane to a large feast? This young Ugandan protagonist awakes from these very dreams to dark clouds and rain. The boy and his grandfather spend the day doing such chores as packing peas, clearing wet bamboo leaves from the veranda, and cleaning the tilapia for a fish stew. With every task, Jjajja shares stories: about a childhood friend and fishing trips with his father. And after dinner, Jjajja shares his love of books filled with beloved tales of African kingdoms. Unfolding in rhyme, Isdahl's tale amply demonstrates how sharing stories can make even a rainy day full of chores an adventure. Van Doorn's illustrations capture the story in muted grays, browns, and blues. The stylized typeface gives a touch of texture, and the characters look almost like stick figures with their round heads and thin limbs. Details include a small white dog who joins in each activity with understated whimsy. This gentle bedtime story is rich in Ugandan culture and universal nostalgia as it celebrates a boy's great love for his grandfather."―Kirkus Reviews

About the Author:
Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl was born in the United States to Ugandan parents. For more than ten years, she has worked in international development in East and Southern Africa.

Sandra van Doorn was born in France and now lives in Australia. She attended art classes at Emily Carr University in Vancouver before embarking on her career as a children's illustrator.

Films

Film: Nkwanzi’s Slip
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Director: Kizito Samuel Saviour
Country: Uganda
Release Date: 2023
Language: English
Color: Color
Run Time: 90 minutes

Synopsis:
Nkwanzi finds herself pregnant with no idea of how it happened. Not wanting to believe it’s the holy spirit, she embarks on a journey of discovery that changes her life in unexpected ways.

Trailer:
https://filmfreeway.com/NkwanzisSlip

Director’s Statement:
This is a story of a young lady who gets pregnant but has no memory of how it happened.

With this story I am targeting the youths who are more into partying and drinking not knowing what they can end up doing whilst drunk and not in control of themselves. I want young girls out there to learn from this story and to let them know what to avoid and how to go about certain situations in life.

Someone who watches Nkwanzi’s journey will be more careful on how to behave when they attend parties, not to drink so much to be out of control. I am using different girls to represent lives of people that exist in reality, everyone in the story has a purpose and I believe everyone’s character will impact the viewers’ mind and lives in one way or another.

On the other hand, through the characters of Josh and Abdul, am targeting the young male youths who live a young wild and free life of no responsibilities and such males who deny their responsibilities in case such a situation comes into their path, Abdul’s advice to Josh and Josh’s final decisions will inspire other male youths like him to not run away from such responsibilities in life.

This story is based on real life experiences of friends, and friends of friends I have seen go through the same and telling such a story from my observation will be a life-saving entertainment tool to many girls who might have fallen victim of the same situations.

Recipes

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